Superintendent’s Memo No. 040,Attachment A

HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORK (HSTW)

MAKING MIDDLE GRADES WORK (MMGW)

NEW SITESGRANT INFORMATION AND

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION PACKET

February 16, 2007

Application Deadline: May 11, 2007

VirginiaDepartment of Education

P. O. Box 2120

Richmond, VA23218-2120

Page1 of 17

Superintendent’s Memo No. 040,Attachment A

HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORK NEW SITES GRANT INFORMATION

HSTW Grant Awards Announcement

This Competitive Grant Information and Workshop Registration packet is for applicants interested in applying for a Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) and/or High Schools That Work (HSTW) grantfor new sites to be awarded for Fiscal Year 2007–2008 (July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008). Throughout this packet references to HSTW automatically includes MMGW if the grant awarded includes one or more middle schools and high schools working collaboratively under a combination grant.

These HSTW grants will be federally funded for $10,000 for a division with a single high schoolsite; $25,000 for a division with onecollaborative high school/middle school site; $50,000 for a division with two collaborative high school/middle school sites; or $15,000 for a regional center site that serves multiple school divisions. There is a minimum match of 50 percent local funds for each grant. Four single high school grants, one $25,000 collaborative grant, one $50,000 collaborative grant, and one regional grant will be awarded. The grant is provided under the requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

Schools or divisions that intend to apply for one of the HSTW new site grants will be required to send representatives to a High Schools That Work grant application workshop on April 16, 2007, asexplainedon pages 5-16. The deadline for submission of the grant application is Monday, May 11, 2007. Division superintendents and school principals will be notified of the grant award by May 31, 2007, pending availability of funds. Funds will be available July 1, 2007.

HSTW and MMGW Background Information

The Southern Regional Education Board’s (SREB)High Schools That Work is the nation’s largest and fastest-growing effort to combine challenging academic courses and modern career and technical studies to raise the achievement of high school students. The initiative was established in 1987 by the SREB-State Vocational Education Consortium, a partnership of SREB, states, school systems, and school sites.
High Schools That Workand Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) are based on the belief that most students can master complex academic and technical concepts if schools create an environment that encourages students to make the effort to succeed. Member schools implement tenKey Practices for changing what is expected of students, what they are taught, and how they are taught. The HSTW Key Practices are on page7 of this packet.

The goals of the HSTW school improvement initiative are as follows:

To counsel students to complete a focused and challenging plan of study that meets the requirements for Virginia's standard diploma or above. This plan of study includes a career and technical and/or an academic focus and 4 credits of college preparatory English, 3 credits in college preparatory social studies, 4 credits in mathematics selected from Algebra

I or above, 3 credits in college preparatory science, and a technology course covering word

processing, database, spreadsheets, presentation software, and use of the Internet and e-mail. (Four credits in science and social studies are recommended for all schools on a block schedule.)

To increase the number of students who meet or exceed the reading, mathematics, and science performance goals. The Southern Regional Education Board has established performance goals based on the High Schools That Work assessment, a version of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). On a scale from 0 to 500, the minimum goals are average scores of 279 in reading, 297 in mathematics, and 299 in science.

For in-depth information about the SREB’sHigh Schools That Work school improvement initiative, go to For in-depth information about the Southern Regional Education Board’s MMGW school improvement initiative, go to

Grantee Requirements

The grantee must:

implement the HSTW or MMGW Key Practices based on Virginia’s educational foundation as defined in the framework of the Standards of Accreditation, the Standards of Learning, and the State Assessment System;

include a high school with grades 9-12or a middle school with grades 6-8, if applicable (In the event the school is served by a career and technical education center, the center’s programs and faculty must be included in the application/management plan.);

provide evidence of cooperation/participation between the local school and middle school personnel, parents, business representatives, postsecondary educators, and community groups; and

provide assurances and commitments, budget summary, and the 2007-2008 HSTW Grant Application and Management Plan. The HSTW Grant Application and Management Plan will be provided for the April 16 grant application workshop.

In addition to the above, schools and school systems participating in a HSTW state network agree to do the following:

Have site leaders—superintendents, school board members, the principal, and a core group of teachers—examine the Goals and Key Practices and decide if HSTW is viable for the school and the community. If so,they commit to at least a five-year implementation effort and require almost all students to take an upgradedacademic core and either a career/technical or academic concentration (4 or more credits).

Appoint someone at the district level and at the school site to coordinate HSTW action planning, professionaldevelopment, and technical assistance; coordinate data collection; monitor progress; foster communication; andintegrate the HSTW Goals and Key Practices with other school improvement efforts.

Support academic and career/technical teachers with professional development, materials, and time to worktogether to implement the Key Practices.

Promote student participation in a system of school- and work-based learning that integrates academics withapplied learning.

Organize an overall school leadership team composed of key academic and career/technical teachers andadministrators; guidance counselors; parents; and representatives of middle schools, business, industry, and postsecondaryeducation. Establish focus teams aligned to the overall leadership team to address curriculum, guidance,evaluation, professional development, and transitions.

Prepare an action plan for implementing the Key Practices and a site-specific staff development plan to helpteachers carry out the action steps.

Participate in the biennial HSTW Assessment, teacher survey, and follow-up study of graduates to obtain baseline data and to measure progress in raising student achievement.

Host a Technical Assistance Visit (TAV) involving a team led by SREB or the state to review progress madeand determine challenges to address to raise student achievement.

Participate in district leadership activities, state staff development activities, and the annual HSTW StaffDevelopment Conference.

Become an active member of a state and multi-state network for sharing information and ideas.

Give students access to modern career/technical courses either in the high school, an area career/technical center,at a college or university, or in a work setting that is connected to school-based academic and career/technicalstudies. Site leaders will work closely with employers and two-year postsecondary institutions.

Designate staff members to coach all teachers in getting students to use reading, writing and mathematicsacross the curriculum to improve achievement in all content areas.

Promote a vision of high achievement for all students among faculty and staff, parents, students, andcommunity members.

Benefits ofHSTW/MMGW Participation

Participation in HSTW or MMGW benefits all stakeholders in the educational process: students and parents, teachers, administrators, and the broader community.

Benefits to students: HSTW improves students’ academic and career/technical knowledge and skills. It shows students the connection between high school and their futures and encourages them to prepare for the next step, which often combines work and further study.

Benefits to parents: Parents become partners in students’ education as they participate in planning six-year programs of students’ studies, are informed to assist in decision making about postsecondary and career options, and are updated regularly about students’ progress to keep them on track to meet academic and career goals.

Benefits to teachers: Teachers gain confidence in their abilities to help all students complete challenging studies. They work together to create more rigorous curriculums and plan professional development activities aimed at raising students’ achievement.

Benefits to principals: School administrators strengthen their leadership skills as they deal with scheduling, staffing and curriculum design issues resulting from offering a high-quality curriculum to all students. They become more adept at using the incremental process—planning, doing, reviewing, making new plans, and revising old ones—to improve student learning.

Benefits to schools: Schools receive data about students’ strengths and weaknesses in reading, mathematics, science and career/technical studies. Teachers, administrators, and community members base action plans on this information. The result is improved communication among faculty and staff, students, parents, employers, middle schools, and postsecondary institutions.

Benefits to educational reform: States adopt new long-term strategies for working with local school systems to improve middle grades and high schools. School leaders and teachers discover that they can raise the achievement of all students, including those previously underserved.

Benefits to the community and nation: Challenging programs of study raise students’ communication,mathematics, science and technical skills; increase students’ earning potential; and raise the bar of achievement for everyone.

HSTW/MMGW Grant Application Workshop

Schools or divisionsthat intend to apply for one of the HSTW new site grants will be required to send representatives to a High Schools That Work grant application workshop in Richmond on Monday, April 16, 2007, from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Park South Hotel in Richmond. The VDOE will pay for substitutes for personnel attending the workshop, if applicable. Localities are responsible for transportation, lodging, and meals. For any participants who choose to use overnight lodging, the Sheraton will honor the state rate of $81 plus tax until March 20, 2007. The Sheraton’s reservation department may be reached Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 8043231144 or 8005259538.

Workshop Teams

The VDOE recommends thatteams attending the April 16 training consist of:

the principal and a lead academic or career and technical education instructor or counselor for each individual high school site.

the principalfrom each middle and high school; one lead core instructor, career and technical education instructor, or counselor from each middle and high school; and a division-level contact for a collaborative high school/middle school site or for two collaborative high school/middle school sites.

the regional center principal;a career and technical education instructor or counselor from the regional center; and one division-level contact, principal, and lead core instructor from a division served by the regional center for a regional center site.

Pre-workshop Preparation

High school and regional center sites must complete the “New Sites Pre-Workshop Questions” form on page 8 of this packetand bring it to the April 16 meeting along with a printed copy of your most current School Improvement Plan where applicable. Bring each school’s most recent CTE completer and follow-up reports.

Schools will use their data when completing the HSTW Grant Application to:

  • provide an objective view of school practices and results,
  • illustrate trends in students' achievement over time,
  • establish a framework to develop measurable action steps, and
  • highlight important questions for which the school needs to find answers/solutions.

Also, print and carefully review the following SREB HSTW publicationsprior to the workshop.

“High Schools That Work—An Enhanced Design to Get All Students to Standards”

“Making Middle Grades Work—An Enhanced Design to Get All Students to Standards”

Workshop Registration Information

Please complete the appropriateApril 16 workshop registration form on pages 9-16 of this packet and send to Iris Winfield at the address or fax listed on the form by March 9, 2007. Separate registration forms for single, collaborative, and regional sites are included. Registration will be confirmed by e-mail. Directions to the hotel are on page 17 of this packet. For additional information, please contact Iris Winfield, administrative support, Office of Career and Technical Education Services, at 804-786-4206, or Connie Williams, HSTW coordinator, Office of Career and Technical Education Services, at 804786-7072.

HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORK TEN KEY PRACTICES

HSTW has identified a set of Key Practices that impact student achievement. Following are the HSTW Key Practices that provide direction and meaning to comprehensive school improvement and student learning:

High expectations—Motivate more students to meet high expectations by integrating high expectations into classroom practices and giving students frequent feedback.

Program of study—Require each student to complete an upgraded academic core and a concentration.

Academic studies—Teach more students the essential concepts of the college-preparatory curriculum by encouraging them to apply academic content and skills to real-world problems and projects.

Career/technical studies—Provide more students access to intellectually challenging career/technical studies in high-demand fields that emphasize the higher-level mathematics, science, literacy and problem-solving skills needed in the workplace and in further education.

Work-based learning—Enable students and their parents to choose from programs that integrate challenging high school studies and work-based learning and are planned by educators, employers and students.

Teachers working together—Provide teams of teachers from several disciplines the time and support to work together to help students succeed in challenging academic and career/technical studies. Integrate reading, writing and speaking as strategies for learning into all parts of the curriculum and integrate mathematics into science and career/technical classrooms.

Students actively engaged—Engage students in academic and career/technical classrooms in rigorous and challenging proficient-level assignments using research-based instructional strategies and technology.

Guidance—Involve students and their parents in a guidance and advisement system that develops positive relationships and ensures completion of an accelerated program of study with an academic or career/technical concentration. Provide each student with the same mentor throughout high school to assist with setting goals, selecting courses, reviewing the student's progress and suggesting appropriate interventions as necessary.

Extra help—Provide a structured system of extra help to assist students in completing accelerated programs of study with high-level academic and technical content.

Culture of continuous improvement—Use student assessment and program evaluation data to continuously improve school culture, organization, management, curriculum and instruction to advance student learning.

School Name/Division ______/______

April 16, 2007—New Sites Pre-Workshop Questions

It will be helpful to the workshop leader(s) if each principal and their respective team come to the workshop with data about their school. Most of this information can be pulled from your School Improvement Plan. Please fill in the following for each site:

Questions / Answers
1. / What percent of 2006 graduates completed a mathematics course during their senior year?
2. / What percent of2006 graduates completed Algebra I, geometry,and Algebra II or higher?
3. / What was the 2006 high school percent completion rate for students entering the ninth grade in 2002 at your school?
4. / What percent of2006 graduates completed two of the following three science courses: College-prep Biology, Chemistry, and/or Physics or Applied Physics/Principals of Technology?
5. / Estimate the percent of2006 graduates who passed a high school computer technology course beyond simple keyboarding that included instruction in all of the following areas?
  • Word Processing (MS Word/Corel WordPerfect) Software

  • Presentation (MS PowerPoint) Software

  • Database (MS Access) Software

  • Spreadsheet (MS Excel/Lotus 1-2-3) Software

  • Internet (MS Internet Explorer/Netscape) Browsers

6. / What percent of2005-2006 ninth-graders failed at least two courses during the ninth-grade year?
What were the two most frequently failed courses? ______and______.
7. / What percent ofcurrentstudents are enrolled in:
  • College-prep/Honors English 9?

  • College-prep/Honors Algebra I?

8. / What percent ofcurrent students completed the requirements for Algebra I before grade nine?
9. / How many different levels of language arts are offered at each grade level in your school? (Respond on a separate sheet, and be prepared to describe each level by indicating the number of books that students are expected to read and the number of major and short papers they are expected to write in different types of language arts classes at each grade level.)
10. / Whatpercent of 2006 graduates had at least one meeting involving them, their parents, and their guidance counselors for the explicit purpose of planning their high school plan of study and to set goals beyond high school?
11. / What percent of 2006 graduates had a four-year plan before they entered the ninth grade?
12. / What percent of 2006 graduates had SAT/ACT scores below the state average?
13. / What percent of 2006 graduates had to take one or more remedial courses upon entering college?
  • What was the most frequent remedial course they had to complete? ______

14. / What percent of the 2006 graduates completed a career/technical concentration (four or more credits)?
15. / What percent of the 2006 graduates completed an academicconcentration in mathematics/science or the humanities, such as foreign language, fine arts or additional literature and social studies courses (four or more credits at the college-prep level with at least oneAP, IB, or dual credit course)?

VirginiaDepartment of Education